Handling implement for plate glass and the like



G. W. BURK IAug. 16, 1938.

HANDLING IMPLEMENT FOR PLATE GLASS AND THE LIK Filed July 9, 1936 Patented Aug. l6, 1938 HANDLING IMPLEMENT FOR PLATE GLASS AND THE LIKE George W. Burk, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Adolph F. Lange, doing business as Henry G. Lange Machine Works, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 9, 1936,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to implements for use in handling plate glass and the like.

operators in `grasping the sheets and securing and maintaining a firm hold thereon.

A principal. object of the present invention is to provide a tool and accordingly IA do not claim vthis concept broadly to be original with me. The novelty of the present invention resides in the provision of In the accompanying drawing:

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention; and u Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional View vshowing thedevice associated with a sheet of glass .and in process of being secured thereto.

The device comprises -a member which may serial No. 89,8115

conveniently be made hollow to save Weight and expense and may be cast from aluminum or preferably cup-shaped, having a circular lip 3 'Ihe lips 3 of convenient to provide inwardly of the lip of each an opening in the rear face of the enlargement 40 I provide means for imparting lengthwise movecausing the disc to adhere I nd it convenient to provide means for imparting lengthwise movementl to the stem 6 by pivoting to the projecting 55 protected from contact withl any 3U glass designated 9, a powv end of the stem a lever Il having a pair of cam faces Il and il. lThese cam faces bear alternatively against a small wear plate il in the form of a washer surrounding the stem on the outer face of the enlargement 2. The lever Il is thus fulcrumed on the wear plate, which is eifectively the rear face of the enlargement 2,'and the cam surfaces Il and i2 cause the lever to assume, when rocked about its pivot Il, either one of two positions. In one position. shown in the lower partvof Fig. 2. cam face Il enlargement or the `wear plate and the stem is in its forwardly projecting'position, disposing the disc in substantially plane condition. In the other position of the lever Il, shown at the upper portion o! Fig. 2, cam face i2 is engaged with the enlargement or wear plate and the stem is in its retracted position, producing a concavity in the disc l and a high degree of vacuum between it and the sheet 9.

such as that shown at 9. with the levers upstanding from the enlargements as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 2. The levers are then depressed, retractlng the stem and the central area of the disc I and creating the partial vacuum between the discs and the sheet 9, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 2. Grip portion l of the tool is then grasped by the operator, the tool thus providing a handle firmly attached to the sheet so that the sheet may be moved about and operated upon as may be desired. When it is desired to release the sheet from the implement it is only necessary to lif.l the levers i0. Atmospheric pressure and spring 2 thereupon restore the discs to their plane condition, destroying the vacuum beneath each disc and releasing the sheet.

An important feature of the invention consists in proportioning the parts at each opposite end similarly so that when the levers are depressed to one of their two possible positions the degree of vacuum produced under each disc is substantially identical. In practice the parts are proportioned to make this vacuum ample to secure the tool firmly against any tension force which it may be called upon to withstand.

Another important'feature of the lnvention resides in the construction whereby nothing but rubber, or the composltionof which the discs 4 are made, can touch the sheet 9 during use ofv the implement. This feature is attained by arranging thediscs l to project somewhat from the enlargements 0 and plate 1 in the disc instead of piercing the disc by the stem and disposing the plate 1 on the bottom, operating face of the disc.

A further important feature of the invention consists in making the stem 6 of square or other polygonal cross-section, and similarly shaping the opening in the enlargements 2 through which the stem projects. The stems are thus prevented from rotating'and the levers Iii are consequently, always ydisposed to rock in substantially the plane of the axis of the grip portion i. This constraint of the levers I0 facilitatesv the operation of delifting them, so that these operations can b e accomplished always by the same diverging or converging movements of the palms of the operators hands.

' Other features and advantages of the device will, it is thought, be evident to those skilled in the art, and all such features, whether embodied is engaged with the 2, and by embedding each steml in the device as illustrated or any equivalent constructions within the scope voi? the appended be deemed, within the purview I claim:

^ 1. A handling implement for plate glass and the like comprising a member having an intermediate grip portion adapted to be grasped by the hand and having cup-shaped enlargements at its opposite ends, -a suction disc element supported in each enlargement, spring means compressed between the central area of each suction disc element and the opposite inner surface of the enlargement for normally maintaining said element in nat condition, the central area of each suction disc element comprising a stem having one end embedded in the element and its opposite end projecting from the enlargement, and manually operable means connected to said projecting end for imparting lengthwise movement to said stem.

2. A handling implement for plate glass and the like comprising a member having an intermediate grip portion adapted to be grasped by the hand and having at each opposite end a cupshaped enlargement having a polygonal opening through its rear wall, a suction discl element in each enlargement. a stem having one end secured to the disc and its other end having a crosssectional shape corresponding to that of the opening and extending non-rotatably through said opening, a lever pivoted to the extended end of the stem for swlnging'movement in a single plane to reciprocate the stem and retract and release the disc, and spring means compressed between the retractible portion of each disc and the opposite inner wall of the adjacent enlargement for normally maintaining the disc in flat condition.

3. A handling implement for plate glass and the like comprising a member having a grip portion adapted to be grasped by the hand and havving a cup-shaped enlargement carried by the grip portion, a suction disc element supported in the enlargement, spring means compressed between the central area of the suction disc element and the opposite inner surface of the enlargement for normally maintaining said element in flat condition, means for retracting the central area of the suction disc element comprising a stem having one end embedded in the element and its opposite end projecting from the enlargement, and manually operable means connected to said projecting end for imparting lengthwise movement to said stem.

4. A handling implement for plate glass and the like comprising a member having a grip portion adapted to be grasped by the hand and having a cup-shaped enlargement carried by the grip portion having a polygonal opening through its rear wall, a suction disc element in the enlargement, a stem having one end secured to the disc and its other end having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the opening and extending non-rotatably through said opening, a lever pivoted to the extended end of the stem for swinging movement in a single plane to reciprocate the stem and retract and release the disc, and spring means compressed between the retractible portion of the disc and the opposite inner wall of the enlargement for normally maintaining the disc in at condition.

i GEORGE `W. BURK. 

